Life 2.1

I suppose it’s pretty much common knowledge now, but since the cat is out of the bag… I’m moving back to California!

Yes, my time as a Southerner is ending. A job opportunity came up somewhat quickly and it’s been a whirlwind ever since.

The truth of it all is that I moved out here for one job and, at the end of the day, that job was really the only reason I could justify being so far from my family. Since that job is no more, it doesn’t make sense to miss Christmas and be so far away.

I will say that the people that I have met out here (who are always welcome in Wine Country!) really did make it an awesome experience and they were definitely in the “pro-staying” column but the “pro-California” column was rather long too.

It may or may not have included Taqueria Rosita among the reasons.

I will be moving back to the west coast on March 10 and in the meantime, I have been attempting to pack and sell off items that will not be making the trek back to CA. Packing is by far the least fun part of this whole deal but after March 10 I won’t have to deal with it for a while so hooray for that!

The new position will also be in the wine business, though this time I will be combining lots of various skills into one position that basically translates to running the hospitality department of the winery. I will be handling event and event sales, along with wine club/direct marketing responsibilities and of course, web/social media work.

I’m very excited about the opportunity and also very glad to be back in the pacific time zone.

So. That’s my big news. If it seems like I’m flying under the radar in the next week or so, it’s probably because I fell into a box while packing.

To my New Orleans friends, we will most definitely be planning some sort of evening out prior to my departure and to my CA friends and family, get the butter and garlic tri-tip ready, I’ll be home shortly!

7 Comments | In: Social Adventures | tags: moving. | #

• Listening to the Napa High Girls Hoops first-round playoff victory online
• Hanging in the kitchen, cooking dinner with friends
• Eating the aforementioned dinner that also included Olympic hockey (and Julie “The Cat” Gaffney references), college hoops and general hilarity
• IMDB.com

No Comments | In: Get Meaningful Fridays | tags: Get Meaningful Fridays. | #

I happened upon KA’s Facebook status today and she was feeling the urge to rock a side ponytail. I maybe encouraged her. And by ‘maybe’ I mean, I told her to not forget to secure it with a neon scrunchie. Which was when I remembered this gem of a story.

*I realize that some of you have already heard this one, but it’s pretty hilarious (IMHO) and deserves to be told again. Especially because KA is considering a side ponytail.*

My grandma happens to be the youngest of five daughters. She actually was a twin, but my great-aunt Jean beat her into the world by what I assume would have been minutes. The oldest sister of the quintet was my great Aunt June. I didn’t really know Aunt June all that well, mostly because she lived in Nebraska and also because she scared the holy bejesus out of me. I remember her as very stern, in a loving sort of way, but when you’re six, it’s the stern-ness you remember. She was also extremely religious. However, I do have one memory of her that stands out and it happens to involve a Star Stage Microphone so it’s definitely worth telling.

I don’t know if anyone remembers what exactly a Star Stage Microphone was, but it was the vehicle which pretty much allowed me to be Debbie Gibson at the tender age of six. It was a microphone on a stand that swiveled around and had a pedal on either side so I could make my voice echo (left pedal) or carry the note that I was belting out (right pedal), should I deem it necessary during my performance.

At one particular family reunion (the only one we’ve ever had of substantial size and caliber–we rented out a whole resort!), I was about six, and I insisted on bringing my Star Stage Microphone so I could compete in the talent competition. When you have a family the size of a small infantry, you can do these kinds of things. So the night of the talent competition rolled around and I had one of the women in my family put my hair in a side ponytail that was secured with a neon scrunchie (because really, that was the only way to wear your hair) and I marched to the front of the room (there wasn’t really a stage) with my cassette tape, my boombox and my Star Stage Microphone in hand, very self-impressed with my “professional setup”.

Wanting to surprise everyone, I hadn’t told my mom what it was that I wanted to sing for the talent show.

I can assure you that she, and everyone else, including my dear, so-very-religious Aunt June, were aghast that my song of choice was late 80s Madonna, “Like a Virgin”.

Oh yes. Yes I did. I belted out every word to that tune, not having the slightest clue what the lyrics meant or the fact that a 6-year-old singing something about being touched for the very first time might be inappropriate. Just maybe.

I think I probably gave Auntie June a heart attack. My mother probably wasn’t far behind her. But man did I rock that night.

So KA, you rock that side ponytail, but I will support you in fighting the urge to sing that particular Madonna song in public while doing so.

1 Comment | In: Social Adventures | tags: family reunion, Madonna, star stage microphone, talent show. | #

I ♥ social media because you can create things like this:

Also, if you’re listening Pixar, I’m available for voiceover work and I probably work way cheaper than Hilary Duff or Mylie Cyrus. Just throw me a couple videos from the Disney vault and I’m good to go.

2 Comments | In: social media | tags: social media, Sutter Home, voiceover, wine, You Tube. | #

Since I’m under the weather, I’m going to make this brief.

• The jumbo box of Kleenex
• Grape juice
• My bed

No Comments | In: Get Meaningful Fridays | tags: Get Meaningful Fridays. | #